Can seaming and crimping machine



(No Model.)

2 sheets-sheet W. D. BROOKS. GAN SEAMING AND GRIMPING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

uw Q ""M lllllllllumwfl'mII j i UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

TILLIAM DYER BROOKS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAN SEAMING AND CRINIPING MACHINE.

SECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,744, dated April 15, 1890. Application filed January 1l, 1890. Serial No. 336,694. (No model.)

vcans-such as the ordinary provision-cansformed of a body having a side seam and heads placed thereon.

The invention 1s a machine designed to prepare the can-bodies for side-seaming.

In the embodiment of my invention, as hereinafter described, it is fitted to unite the edges of the blank at the side seam by a lockjoint, in which both edges, which unite to form the seam, are bent over, so that one is interlocked with the other, forming a kind of hook-connection, and this when pressed down forms the seam and is ready to receive the solder, by means of which it is made watertight. The form of the seam, however, is not new, and my invention relates exclusively to the machine.

Further, my invention consists in the combination ot the machine for thus preparing the can-bodies with a soldering machine, such as shown in an application filed by me in the United States Patent Office on the 11th day of January, 1890, No. 336,693.

My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a side elevation on line :Lz/r of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan view of the machine, this ligure also illustrating so much as is necessary of the can-soldering machine above referred to. Fig. 3 represents a section on line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a section on lines z of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents an end view of the blank of the can prepared for interlocking; Fig. 6, an end view of the block or former collapsed and with the can in place. Fig. 7 shows the block or former expanded in end view; Fig. 8, a longitudinal section of the block or former. Fig. 9 shows a rear or end view of the same. Fig. 10 illustrates the form of the working-face of t-he crimping-die, it being part of the longitudinal section.

In the drawings, A represents a table or wheel-which carries the can blocks or formers.

It turns on the vertical post B in step-by-step movement imparted to it by means of a loop C, pivoted at c on a post. Upon the post B, which is firmly ixed in the base, is a sleeve 2, adapted to turn on said post and carrying a wheel 1. The wheel 1 has a roller projecting into the loop, causing it to reciprocate in a horizontal plane at each revolution of the wheel 1. On the loop is a springpawl 3, which engages with the ratchet 4 on the lower end of the hub a ofthe wheel A. This is the mode of turning the table heretofore well known. The sleeve 2 receives its motion from a horizontal shaft (not shown) having a beveled gear meshing with a beveled gear 5 on the sleeve. I have shown the wheel as having six radial arms carrying six blocks, this being a convenient but not necessary number. The loop and its pawl above described are arranged to move the table one-sixth of an entire revolution at each step;

The blocks A are supported upon the table by means of brackets 10, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1 on the right-hand side. The blocks are adapted to receive the can-blank, which is bent and formed with the interlocked flanges, as shown in Fig. 5. The blocks are indicated at A. As shown, they are rounded at the ends, in order to crimp the ends of the can-bodies and curve them slightly inward when they are designed for outside heads, and in order that the head may be more readily placed upon the can-body. The block consists of fixed and movable parts. The upper or lixed part is held rigidly on the arm 10. The iixed part is represented at 11 and the two movableparis at 12 13. These movable parts are hinged to the fixed part-s by interior longitudinally-arranged hinges. The movable parts have the same contour as the fixed, and when they are expanded, as shown for example in Fig. 7, they form a substantially complete cylindrical body or block; but they are, however, capable of contraction, as shown in Fig. G. The fixed part of the block has a sliding expanding-key 14, carried on guides on the interior of the iixed part. The lower extension ot' this key is adapted to ride over a stepped lug 15 on the hinged part 13. This hinged part 13 underlaps the hinged part 12 by a beveled joint, so that when the part 13 on a stud y IOO is pushed outward it pushes also the part 12 into expanded position. The action of the keyis against a retracting-spring IG, the extension of which is just sufficient to draw the parts into the position of Fig. G. The lug 15 has two bearing-faces, as shown in Fig. S, one lower and the other higher. Then the key rests on the lower, the lug is only partially expanded; but when the key is further advanced to the position shown in Fig. 8 it rests on the high part of the lug, and the hinged parts are fully expanded, so that the block is in a complete cylindrical form. The purpose of this will be explained hereinafter. The expanding-key is operated by means of a rod 17, which is retracted by a spring 18 and pushed forward by acam 1D on the sleeve 2. The points in the path of revolution of the table at which the contraction and expansion of the block take place are indicated in Fig. 2 and further explained hereinafter.

Then the machine is designed to form canbodies out of blanks such as those shown in Fig. 5, the fixed part l1 of the block is provided with a longitudinal groove 20, in which the seam or joint may lie so as to leave a smooth -and cylindrical periphery, all the bulge occasioned by the overlapping being' thrown on the inside of the can.

In connection with the revolving parts above described I now describe certain fixed mechanisms on the base of the machine or upon the floor at different stations where the block or former stops in the step-by-step movement. The first of these (referring to Fig. 2) has a guide projection G. This is set upon a standard g, adjustable in the direction of the circular movement of the blocks by means of a slot and set-screw. The bracket carries a vertically-adjustible guide 2l, the edge of which is in a radial direction in respect to the wheel or table. The bracket is adjusted to bring the guide close to the side of the groove 2O when the block is in position at the first station. The vertical adjustment of the guide is 'for the purpose of having the lower edge of it close to the can-blank on the underlapping side, and so that the edge of the overlapping side may bear up against the lateral face of the guide. At the first station, vsupposin g the block to be in position as shown in Fig. 2, the block is partially collapsed-that is to say, the expanded key is on the lower step of the lug, and the attendant, (ordinarily a boy,)

holding the can with the flanges interlocket supposing him to stand in front of the first station, holds the left-hand edge of the blank on the upper side and enters the blank thus interlocked over the block. The guide 21 serves to bring the can into proper position as the attendant turns the can to the right unt-il the overlapping edge bearsv against the guide, and thus he pushes it on to its place. The next movement of the wheel carries the block, withthe can-blank upon it, to the next .st-ation, the motion being in the direction of the arrow 22. During this movement the expanded rod is further pushed out and the block fully expanded when it reaches the second station. At this point there are located devices which gage the can-body and prepare the seam for soldering.

For the forms of cans heretofoie referred to two special operations are necessary after the gaging: first, that the side seam should be flattened at the interlocking parts, and, second, that the ends of the cans should be crimped in and rounded,according to the form of the end of the blank heretofore described. In the first operation I provide a side die H, which is carried upon a lever 23, pivoted at 2l upon the post B. A link connects its free end to the link 25, pivoted on a stud on the base. The inner or free end of this leverhas a friction-roller which rides under a cam 26 on the bevel-gear 5. A spring 27 draws down the link and raises the side die H, to which the cam 26 gives the requisite pressure when its time of action is reached. This occurs as soon as the block has arrived at the second station, and when the block is at that station the seam is directly under the side die. The side die is formed, as shownon the left of Fig. 1, detached from the main ligure, where the face of the side die III is represented as having downwardlycurved ends 28,v these downwardly-curved ends corresponding exactly to the curved ends of the block Vhen this die, therefore, is brought down upon the seam, it crushes down the seam, and at the same time crimps in the edges at each end to the extent of the width of the side die. This fixes the seam rigidly and therefore the diameter of the can.

For the preliminary gaging of the ends of the can-body, to give a determined and uniform diameter before the side die acts, two dies K L are employed. These are placed at` the second station, and are mounted on radially-arranged spindles which slide in bear-v ings upon a standard M. These dies are ringshaped and have inner faces, as shown at Fig. S, the gaging-faces corresponding to the cylindrical part of the blocks and the inner diameter of the gaging-die. equals that of the outside diameter of the cans. The die K is cut away at 30, in order that it may pass the arm l0 as it moves radially, and to strengthen it a steel plate 3l is screwed on, as shown in Fig. 9. This is re-enforced by a block 32, to

.which is fixed the radially-arranged sliding arm 33, which carries the die. The die L is also provided with the same interior gagingface and with a notch on its upper side to ad- IOO mit the side die, and is moved radially simultaneously with the die K. This movement is started by means of a cam 35 on the sleeve. This imparts movement to the die K, and it also imparts movementin opposite direction' to the die L through the lever 36 and the bent arm 37. The lever 36 is let into a slot in the rod 33, and, as will appear plainly from Fig. 1, movement outward of the rod 33 will. push the die inward, and thus the cam 35 is made to close the dies against the block. The dies K L are retracted by means of a spring 39, and they are held normally open, the cam being timed to operate the dies immediately before the operation of the side die heretofore described. \Vhen the dies are retracted, they leave suliicient space between them to allow the block to pass, and after they have gaged the ends and the side die has crushed down the seam by one movement they retreat and allow the block to go on to the next station.

As the operation of gaging is followed immediately by the descent of the side die, the can-blank is held in a proper position and accurately sized, while the side die crushes down and iiattens the seam, thus holding the blank in the position to which it is gaged. From this second station the can-body is carried by the next movement, to the third station, where the block is arrested between and eX- actly in line with another set of dies K L', mounted in a standard M in the same way and by the same construction as that described for the dies of the second station. The only difference in the dies at this station lies in their diameter and in the form of the face. This is shown in Fig. l0, where a part of the die appears sufficient to show the form of the face. The face in this case is shaped to correspond to the rounded end of the block which is to turn the edge of the can inward at the ends, as above explained. The parts are so timed that when the block arrives at this station the cam 35 on the wheel operates the dies to close them forcibly on the block and over the ends of the can-body. This linishes the Operation of the machine upon the canbody so far as its formation is concerned. The next step carries the can-body to the discharging-station D, and before reaching this the block is collapsedan d a perfectly-formed canbody is loose thereon. In order to discharge the can from the block, I have provided a discharge-rod 50, which slides in suitable guides and is arranged to carry a pin 5l, the upper end of which bears against the can-body end. This discharging-rod is moved by a lever 2, the upper end of which passes through a slot in the rod. It is operated by a cam 53 on the central sleeve, in order to give the necessary push, and is retracted by a spring 54. The movement is suthcient not only to discharge the can from the can-block, but to provide also for placing it upon a block of the sideseamer, in connection with which I may also use this machine.

Fig. 2 shows at Pthe block of such a sideseamer as that shown for example in an application led by me in the United States Patent Office of even date and numbered, and when such a side-seam er is used in connection with this machine, as described, it is timed with said machine, so that the blocks are arrested exactly in line with each other and end to end, and the pusher pushes the can at the discharge-station directly onto the side-seamer without any handwerk. Of course the present machine may be used without the side-seamer, the discharge being automatic in either case.

Before the block reaches the discharge-station D it is collapsed to permit the discharge mechanism to work and to render the discharge of the can-body easy and certain. This collapsing of the block is done at the third or crimping station, as shown in Fig. 4, the mechanism consisting ofthe rod 40, arranged to engage with the expansion-slide 14 of the block, a lever 4l,and a slide-bar 42, having a roller on its end to bear upon a cam 43 on the sleeve. By the action of the cam 43 the rod 40 is pushed inward through these connections to move'the slide I4 off the projection l5, and the spring 16, Fig. 7, then acts to collapse the block, this action taking place after the ends of the can have been crimped by the dies K L. The parts are retracted by means of spring-i4. After the block leaves the discharge-station it is partially expanded before the can-blanks are fed thereto, so that the blanks, while being a loose fit to permit their rapid and easy feeding, will leave sufficient bearing upon the partially-expanded block to insure their retention in proper p0- sition. This partial expansion is effect-ed by the slide 45, (shown in Fig. 3,) operated to engage with the expansion-slide 14 of the block by means of a cam 46 on the sleeve 2 and retracted by a spring 47. This mechanism is preferably placed at the feed-station, but may be employed in a position to operate the block before itreaches said station.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination, a table with mechanism.

each other, mechanism for automatically op-` erating said dies, a crushing-die operating vin connection with said gaging-dies, and mechanism for automatically operating said crushing-die, substantially as described.

2. In combination, atable with mechanism for giving the same step-by-step movement, a series of blocks carried by said table to hold the can-blanks, a pair of gaging-dies and a crushing-die at one station, a pair of crimping-dies at the second station, and mechanism for operating the said dies, substantiallyas described.

3. In combination, the table, the block for holding the body-blanks, having .beveled or rounded ends to permit the blank ends to be crimped inwardly thereon, and the crimpingdies having beveled interior faces for crimping the ends of the blanks to conform to the. beveled ends of the blocks, substantially described.

4. In combination, a rotating table and mechanism for imparting to said table stepby-step movement, radially-arranged blocks on said table, a pair of gaging-dies, and av die to crush the said scams at one station, a pair IOO troy` of crimping-dies at another station, and a discharging mechanism at another station, all substantially as described.

5. In combination, a rotating table and mechanism for imparting to it step-by-step movement, radially-arranged blocks on said table, a guide for the can-blank at the irst station, a pair of gagging-dies and the sideseaming die at the second station, a pair of crimping-dies at the third station, and a discharging mechanism at the fourth station, these parts being' arranged and operating as and for the purpose set forth.

G. In combination, the table with the canholding,` blocks, mechanism for moving' the same Step by step, a pair of reciprocating dies, a cam 35, a slide-bar 33, operated by said cam to move one of the dies, and operating-connections to the other die, consisting of the lever 36, operated by the slide 33, and a rigid bent bar 37, connected with the said lever at one end and haVingit-s ot-her end Vfastened directly to the slide of the other die, substantially as described.

'7. In combination, the extension-blocks, the table with mechanism for giving step-by-step movement, mechanism for operating upon the can-blanks, and a discharge-slide operating beneath the blocks when collapsed, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the Wheel With mechanism for moving it step by step and for operating' upon the can-blanks, the collapsible blocks, and mechanism for expanding the block partially at one station and then fully at another station, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence 0 two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM DYER BROOKS.

ivitnesses:

WALTER DONALDSON, RICHARD GORNALL. 

